Pastor Chosen to Lead Christian Coalition Steps Down in Dispute Over Agenda

[applegrove]

Pastor Chosen to Lead Christian Coalition Steps Down in Dispute Over Agenda

By NEELA BANERJEE
Published: November 28, 2006
WASHINGTON, Nov. 27 — "The president-elect of the Christian Coalition of America, which has long served as a model for activism for the religious right, has stepped down, saying the group resisted his efforts to broaden its agenda to include reducing poverty and fighting global warming.

The Rev. Joel C. Hunter, pastor of a Florida megachurch, was named the group’s president-elect in July. He was to have taken over the presidency in January from Roberta Combs, who is also the chairwoman of the Christian Coalition’s board. Mrs. Combs will continue in both positions now.

Over the last few years, Dr. Hunter, senior pastor of Northland Church in Longwood, Fla., has gained a reputation as an evangelical leader seeking to expand the agenda of conservative Christian activists from issues like abortion and same-sex marriage.

In a telephone interview, Dr. Hunter said that although Mrs. Combs had indicated that the organization also wanted to expand its priorities to include the issues that concerned him, the board backed away from such a commitment during a conference call last Tuesday. By the end of the call, Dr. Hunter and the coalition had decided to part amicably, according to both sides.

............SNIP"

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/28/us/28pastor.html?ex=1322370000&en=b97337ec874aa12e&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

[Uncle Joe]

1. Thanks for posting applegrove,

I cannot fathom how poverty and saving God's creation could not be on their agenda.:shrug:

[donco6]

2. Because then they would actually have to change . . .

. . . their OWN lives.

When your platform is all about OTHER people's behaviour, it's much easier.

[Uncle Joe]

3. Eureka! I believe you hit the nail on the head donco!

:think:

[applegrove]

4. Yup... Bingo! It is adult to take ownership of all you can reasonably

and make your community a better place. Seems the base must remain childlike in order to follow as sheeple. Asking religious groups to do what their bible teaches is counter-productive for the GOP. Fact is many religious groups work their asses off to help the poor. Obviously the GOP doesn't include these groups in their base.

[donco6]

5. Right.

"Obviously the GOP doesn't include these groups in their base."

No, those churches would be called "liberal".

[applegrove]

6. No..they are not always liberal churches. Some religious types walk

the walk every single day. And they may have voted GOP of late. Liberals are not always the people who give their lives to helping the poor. It is all manner of churches running orphanages and programs all over the world. Not just liberal or liberal religious. Why it is a tragedy the GOP has got a lock-hold on so many religious leaders. Cause they do some good and do take care of people who some cocktail socialists will never touch in their lives.

I feel that the GOP is afraid of the poverty issues because it could be a wedge used against them. So they try to erase it. Cause who put together the Roosevelt vision but the coalition of churches and liberals at the turn of the century.

GOP doesn't like "fighting poverty" because it teaches compassion and empathy. Two things that require an adult and thinking and feeling for yourself. And living a full life based on your interconnection to community. That goes against gop slicing and dicing to create their base. And maintain their base.